The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-17

entertain his guard with song. His
selection was Annie Laurie" lie
sang the sweet song entirely through,
and when be finished rested his head
on his hands for a few moments and
then repeated the song. His fortl-
tude was the wonder of all who heard
him.
Between | and o'clock the Sheriff
and his assistants tested the gallows.
Heavy bags of sand were attached 10
the ropes and the traps were sprung.
The machine worked to perfection
and in all respects was satisfactory
to the authorities. Then the usual
quiet prevailed in the Jail. The only
noise in the cell room was the low
voices of the few deputies, the turn
ing of a key in g lock and the rapid
ticking of the telegraph instrument
which was telling the world of the
last hours of the four Anarchists.
THE MARCH TO DEATH.
Cook COUNTY JAIL, CHICAGO,
Nov. lit lacked just seven min
utes and a half of the hour of high
noon when q single white shrouded
figure, above which was face of
yellowish pallor-the face Of August
Spies-passed the first post of the
gallows. The gaping crowd ten feet
below half rose involuntsrily from
their chairs at the first glimpse of the
apparition advanci' g across the
scafold. Spies looked calm and
glanced at the reporters with trace
Of his old time cynical smile. Fol-
lowing close came Fischer, close
enough to touch Spies shroud, had
his hand not been pinioned under
the white muslin. Fischer's coun.
tenancc had a peculiar glisten,
totally unlike the ashiness of Engels
heavy features. The moment his
feet touched the scafold, Parsons
seemed to completely lose his identi.
ty and to feel that bis spirit was no
longer part of his body. He had
wrought himself up to an ecstacy Of
calm self glori6cation. He, the one
American, seemed to realize fully
that he must die in a manner to i'm.
press, if possible, on all future gen.
erations the thought that he was a
martyr. The quiet form of Engel
alongside, with his stupid, wide,jawed
face, made a hideous contract to Par
sons assumption of the halo of q
martyr. Fischer was q head and
shoulders taller than the other three,
making his occasional looks Of too
evident bravado more noticeable than
they might otherwise be, and at g
sorry disadvantage compared with
the steady coolness of Spies. The
latter's exhibition of quiet, thorough
nerve far surpassed, as wonder, tde
demeanor of any Of his comrades.
THE FINAL PREPARATIONS.
The four deputies standing to the
rear of the four condemened men be-
gan without delay to adjust the ropes,
Spies moose being the one first
placed. He did not appear to regard
it of any more consequence than a
new linen collar. The knot was
slipped down the cord close against
his neck. Spies did not show tre-
NOR, but when the same process was
being carried out with Fischer, he
turned and quietly whispered to the
I baillff some suggestion concerning
the rope.
Fischer's occasional ardor was
quit? noticeable less when he felt the
hempen.. strand, and Engel bit his
under lip hard when bis turn came.
Just then DR.. Murphy, q young ply
sician. whispered a joke at Engel's
ear. Incredible as it may seem, the
low browed Anarchist laughed out
right, with the rope around his neck
and while another was being fastened
on Parsons by his side. But the
grotesque laugh stopped in a single
instant. and Parsons, meekly as a
saint, turned his eyes upward at the
dangling line above him.
Before the four Anarchists had an
inklipg of what was to be done, the
white caps were deity slipped upon
their heads and drawn quickly down
to their nacks, shutting off the view
Of each as completely and with less
warning than does the camera cloth
of the photographer.
LAST WORDS OF THE CONDEMNED MEN
August Spies was tue first of the
four doomed men to make use Of his
wits while he could. In tone OF
intense bitterness of spirit, he, the
nan who wrote the infamous revenge
circular, hlssed out between his
tightly cleDched teeth, There will
come a time when our silence will be
more powerful than the voices they
are strangling to DEATH
Tie last syllable of Spies con
cluding words, hoarse with suppressed
passion, had not reached the end
when Engel, raising his voice. wildly
cried, "Hurrah for Anarchy"
Fischer caught the fire of utter
ance, and still more loudly exclaim
ed, H Hrrrah for Anarchy!' adding
This is the happiest moment of my
life"
! There was a silence like the grave
broken abruptly by the slow, meas
ured intonation Of Parsons. like 6
white>robed priest before the altar ot
sacrifice. Not dying request, but
rather like command or a waraiug
he sounded forth, May l be allowed